PETERSON SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Imagine a moment, outside of the atmosphere, in the deep distant space, where two satellites collide, resulting in a debris cloud, endangering astronauts in the orbiting International Space Station.
Such disasters are fortunately contained with the Human Spaceflight Safety mission in Space Delta 2 – Space Domain Awareness.
U.S. Space Force Capt. Kirsten Pecua, DEL 2, plans and programs chief, is a key player in ensuring that the U.S. Space Force can access and maintain new assets and capabilities, with a variety of resources.
“It could be somebody’s telescope in their backyard contributing data to commercial command and control centers,” said Pecua. “Today, we are coordinating with commercial companies to make sure we get as much information as we can, and share it appropriately so we can protect and defend.”
DEL 2 is the foundation of space operations. They track and maintain where space objects go, track debris, allied satellites, and enemy satellites. They also understand how space weather affects us in the domain. The Delta catalogs things that go into space, without them no one can protect their assets.
“The thing I enjoy the most is being able to see the new capabilities that we’re putting out there,” said Pecua.
Given the various, worldwide weapons systems operated by DEL 2, it is important Pecua focuses on maintaining healthy relationships with their multinational partners.
“Colonel Brock, our DEL 2 Commander, likes to say space domain awareness is a team sport, so we just want to make sure we get all the right players involved,” said Pecua. “Space domain awareness capabilities are all over the world from the phased array radars at Thule Air Base, Greenland and Fylingdales Royal Air Force Station, England, to the deep space surveillance telescope at Maui, Hawaii.”
DEL 2 may seem small on the surface but the mission is huge and they are working to implement more squadrons that are specific to different mission set needs.
“Space Force is expanding and so is our space delta,” said Pecua. “What we’ve done so far is prepare to stand up two brand new squadrons, a few operating locations and a few detachments.”
Pecua asserts that humility is the key to failing and moving forward swiftly.
“I think you need to be able to move with an idea and fail fast to implement the lessons learned in the next iteration,” said Pecua. “The Space Force goal is to do everything faster and smarter.”
Focused and determined, Pecua is also responsible for ensuring she communicates with Peterson-Schriever Garrison members to make sure critical support agreements such as a Memorandum of Understanding and Memorandum of Agreement are in place. These agreements ensure that our space systems have the right assistance such as infrastructure and maintenance.
From knowing where satellites are and knowing where they're going next, to providing space weather support, DEL 2 is essential to the safety and security of people across the globe and in space.
“Space Domain Awareness is a team sport, we need to ensure the United States, and its allies can operate freely in, to, and from space,” said Pecua.